Abdullah
Hank Scorpio
Thank you, Ishmeal Loves Bayley!
Posts: 6,421
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Post by Abdullah on Jan 15, 2024 13:56:32 GMT -5
I’ve been second-screening WWE for the past few months and I like how they’ve spent so much time on building stories and even potentially telegraphing the final three — Punk, Cody, maybe Drew. It’s definitely added to my anticipation for the event, actually getting a sense of what they’re building towards rather than just some random entrances and general guesses. There’s some heat going into it.
Less so with the women.
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Fade
Patti Mayonnaise
Posts: 38,494
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Post by Fade on Jan 15, 2024 14:39:25 GMT -5
I agree. But thread title made me think this was going to be a negative thread.
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Jan 15, 2024 16:25:52 GMT -5
Most of the match is going to be random entrances and general guesses if they don’t start announcing more people for it. 25 spots left to be filled at this point.
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msc
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,559
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Post by msc on Jan 16, 2024 9:11:40 GMT -5
Most of the match is going to be random entrances and general guesses if they don’t start announcing more people for it. 25 spots left to be filled at this point. Gunther has announced for it, so it's only 24 empty spots with 11 days left... Oh and 26 for the women... |
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Jan 16, 2024 9:16:54 GMT -5
Most of the match is going to be random entrances and general guesses if they don’t start announcing more people for it. 25 spots left to be filled at this point. Gunther has announced for it, so it's only 24 empty spots with 11 days left... Oh and 26 for the women... There’s been a growing call around the fandom for most of the field to be surprises for some reason, with the argument being “Why should I care about *insert midcarder that is not going to win* calling their shot?”. Right, because they’re not going to then turn around and throw a strop when 20 of the surprises are UNANNOUNCED midcarders that are not going to win. |
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msc
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,559
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Post by msc on Jan 16, 2024 9:38:13 GMT -5
Gunther has announced for it, so it's only 24 empty spots with 11 days left... Oh and 26 for the women... There’s been a growing call around the fandom for most of the field to be surprises for some reason, with the argument being “Why should I care about *insert midcarder that is not going to win* calling their shot?”. Right, because they’re not going to then turn around and throw a strop when 20 of the surprises are UNANNOUNCED midcarders that are not going to win. Well, I totally disagree with that. If Pretty Deadly or Ivar are going to be in the Rumble I want to know ahead of time, rather than assuming empty slots are of intrigue. There's a healthy medium isn't there? 8 tbc spots leaves room for surprises, returns, and "LOL it was Tozawa". 20+ spots left open looks like neglect. |
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Post by theironyuppie on Jan 16, 2024 9:45:14 GMT -5
I know the men's has gotten more focus, but I think they're doing well setting up a few potential story threads for the women's match rather than it just feeling like one obvious winner like it often has. We know that Nia, Becky and Bayley are all gunning for Rhea, and within that we have to see if Becky can avenge losing to Nia, or if they have Bayley win and tease her challenging Rhea before finally going after Iyo. Bianca's also been built to potentially go for Iyo after their lengthy feud. If they can give a little story focus to some of the other players in the division this week and next, it'd add even further to things.
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Post by "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik on Jan 16, 2024 9:50:50 GMT -5
This year feels like the Rumble matches themselves are getting the vast majority of the attention whereas the non-Rumble matches feel very fillery.
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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Jan 16, 2024 9:56:37 GMT -5
This year feels like the Rumble matches themselves are getting the vast majority of the attention whereas the non-Rumble matches feel very fillery. My bet is they add DIY vs. Judgment Day for the Tag Belts next week and that rounds out the card. I'm guessing it's a 5 match card like it was last year. Maybe they add an Iyo title defense instead. |
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Jan 16, 2024 9:58:23 GMT -5
This year feels like the Rumble matches themselves are getting the vast majority of the attention whereas the non-Rumble matches feel very fillery. Which is weird given that those two non-Rumble matches are built around your long-running top champion and the social media celebrity that is one of your midcard champions, not to mention four very over challengers between those two matches. |
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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Jan 16, 2024 10:30:05 GMT -5
This year feels like the Rumble matches themselves are getting the vast majority of the attention whereas the non-Rumble matches feel very fillery. Which is weird given that those two non-Rumble matches are built around your long-running top champion and the social media celebrity that is one of your midcard champions, not to mention four very over challengers between those two matches. For better or worse, Logan now kind of just feels like he's part of the show now as opposed to feeling like a major attraction. I'm sure they'll try to make him feel more special around Mania-time, but he's been around now for a few years. |
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Post by clc on Jan 16, 2024 10:53:48 GMT -5
My favorite thing about the Rumble is the surprises.
They should announce "boring mid-carder that is not going to win" ahead of time.
Announcing main event players that were clearly always going to be in it is fine.
Leave open a fair amount of surprise slots. Don't pre-announce someone that would make for a great surprise.
I think the winners themselves have been a bit too telegraphed. A match with 30 guys and random slots, the final four should not be entirely predictable.
Men's Rumble winners will be either Punk or Cody.
Women's Rumble winner will be Bianca.
The only wildcard about the men's Rumble is The Rock. Are they doing Rock vs Roman? If so, then Cody is out as winner and Punk will win.
The women's Rumble seems more clear. They are foreshadowing Bianca, Becky, and Bayley as potential winners. Bayley is out since she said she will pick Rhea. That would ruin the Becky vs Rhea match they set up. Bianca already said she wants IYO. There's no way in heck they are leaving Bianca off the Wrestlemania card, and they are not doing Bianca vs Rhea. So, Bianca has to win the Rumble to leave both Bayley and Becky's dream of facing Rhea viable for the Elimination Chamber. This also fits their characters. Bianca's only character trait is she is dominant and "Bianca wins lol". Can you imagine Becky and Bianca being the final 2, and Becky throws her out? Or even more laughable Bayley throwing her out? Becky's character is that she is scrappy and has to fight hard for every opportunity she gets. Her getting thrown out at the Rumble but not giving up and finding another way is classic Becky.
Bayley can still be a part of Wrestlemania without a match, since she can be at ringside doing Damage CTRL shenanigans. They will probably do the Damage CTRL break up after Bianca beats IYO. Bayley vs IYO for the belt was probably never in the cards. I doubt WWE had any intention of IYO holding the belt into Mania. Charlotte getting hurt ruined their real plan of Bianca vs Charlotte. Heck, last night during Rhea's promo she couldn't even be bothered to mention IYO by name. She referred to her as "someone else".
(I write this with such certainty...watch me be wrong lol. Heck, please let me be wrong!)
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Post by polarbearpete on Jan 16, 2024 11:59:27 GMT -5
My favorite thing about the Rumble is the surprises. They should announce "boring mid-carder that is not going to win" ahead of time. Announcing main event players that were clearly always going to be in it is fine. Leave open a fair amount of surprise slots. Don't pre-announce someone that would make for a great surprise. I think the winners themselves have been a bit too telegraphed. A match with 30 guys and random slots, the final four should not be entirely predictable. Men's Rumble winners will be either Punk or Cody. Women's Rumble winner will be Bianca. The only wildcard about the men's Rumble is The Rock. Are they doing Rock vs Roman? If so, then Cody is out as winner and Punk will win. The women's Rumble seems more clear. They are foreshadowing Bianca, Becky, and Bayley as potential winners. Bayley is out since she said she will pick Rhea. That would ruin the Becky vs Rhea match they set up. Bianca already said she wants IYO. There's no way in heck they are leaving Bianca off the Wrestlemania card, and they are not doing Bianca vs Rhea. So, Bianca has to win the Rumble to leave both Bayley and Becky's dream of facing Rhea viable for the Elimination Chamber. This also fits their characters. Bianca's only character trait is she is dominant and "Bianca wins lol". Can you imagine Becky and Bianca being the final 2, and Becky throws her out? Or even more laughable Bayley throwing her out? Becky's character is that she is scrappy and has to fight hard for every opportunity she gets. Her getting thrown out at the Rumble but not giving up and finding another way is classic Becky. Bayley can still be a part of Wrestlemania without a match, since she can be at ringside doing Damage CTRL shenanigans. They will probably do the Damage CTRL break up after Bianca beats IYO. Bayley vs IYO for the belt was probably never in the cards. I doubt WWE had any intention of IYO holding the belt into Mania. Charlotte getting hurt ruined their real plan of Bianca vs Charlotte. Heck, last night during Rhea's promo she couldn't even be bothered to mention IYO by name. She referred to her as "someone else". (I write this with such certainty...watch me be wrong lol. Heck, please let me be wrong!) I think you might be off on your reading of the Bayley situation. It seems like her vs. Damage CTRL, whether with Naomi/Sasha or one on one vs. Iyo is the direction for Mania. |
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Post by Tenshigure on Jan 16, 2024 12:19:16 GMT -5
I’m fine with storylines being built around the idea of entering the Rumble for the purpose of facing the champ, or proving an underdog tale for a mid carder in a slump or something, but the two things I hate to see are 1) entrants pre-announced at #1/#2/#30, or 2) Spoiling surprise entrants on pre-announced segments.
One of the things I really enjoyed about AJ Styles’ debut is I actually kept myself somewhat in the dark when it happened, so his appearance was absolutely a highlight of that years match for sure.
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Post by chronocross on Jan 16, 2024 12:31:10 GMT -5
I'm enjoying the build so far, but it seems like most of the major players are on Raw in the Rumble this year.
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Post by Jindrak Mark on Jan 16, 2024 13:13:45 GMT -5
I'm enjoying the build so far, but it seems like most of the major players are on Raw in the Rumble this year. Yeah all the top contenders are Raw guys in Cody/Punk/Gunther/Drew. Jey and Sami haven't been announced yet but will likely be in too. Even Brock if he returns has mostly been on Raw his last few feuds. It's why I'm kinda shocked they did the 4 way with Roman, taking up 3 of Smackdown's top faces. I figured it would have been a singles match and save the other two guys for the Rumble. Roman/Orton/Knight/Styles for the title. KO/Paul for the US title. The injury status of Rey/Sheamus is unknown. Solo/Jimmy may be involved in Roman's match and not even in the Rumble. Lashley is the only top guy on Smackdown we know for sure will be in the Rumble match. |
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Post by HMARK Center on Jan 16, 2024 15:34:03 GMT -5
Gunther has announced for it, so it's only 24 empty spots with 11 days left... Oh and 26 for the women... There’s been a growing call around the fandom for most of the field to be surprises for some reason, with the argument being “Why should I care about *insert midcarder that is not going to win* calling their shot?”. Right, because they’re not going to then turn around and throw a strop when 20 of the surprises are UNANNOUNCED midcarders that are not going to win. While they've probably been better about it since the change in creative, that's sort of a classic Vince-era reaction to WWE creative: the hype being more for unknown entrants and surprises to pop over when their music hits, less for seeing what kinds of stories could come out of the Rumble for, say, a midcarder who's unlikely to win but could either make a deep run, fall into a rivalry with someone else in the Rumble, that kind of thing. The potential for "moments" being bigger than the potential for stories, as it were. |
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Nosnorb
El Dandy
Nachos and Fraggle Rock are TIMELESS.
Posts: 8,375
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Post by Nosnorb on Jan 16, 2024 21:11:25 GMT -5
This year feels like the Rumble matches themselves are getting the vast majority of the attention whereas the non-Rumble matches feel very fillery. Which is weird given that those two non-Rumble matches are built around your long-running top champion and the social media celebrity that is one of your midcard champions, not to mention four very over challengers between those two matches. With the US Title, it feels like it's the yearly "Kev loses a title match" and that Logan is getting a different dance partner for 'mania. |
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schma
El Dandy
Who are you to doubt me?
Posts: 7,545
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Post by schma on Jan 19, 2024 14:11:03 GMT -5
I'm enjoying the build so far, but it seems like most of the major players are on Raw in the Rumble this year. Yeah all the top contenders are Raw guys in Cody/Punk/Gunther/Drew. Jey and Sami haven't been announced yet but will likely be in too. Even Brock if he returns has mostly been on Raw his last few feuds. It's why I'm kinda shocked they did the 4 way with Roman, taking up 3 of Smackdown's top faces. I figured it would have been a singles match and save the other two guys for the Rumble. Roman/Orton/Knight/Styles for the title. KO/Paul for the US title. The injury status of Rey/Sheamus is unknown. Solo/Jimmy may be involved in Roman's match and not even in the Rumble. Lashley is the only top guy on Smackdown we know for sure will be in the Rumble match. I feel like they probably realized that this was the only way to create intrigue for a Roman match that isn't at 'mania. Even with this, we all know none of those guys are winning, but at least it might be a slightly different match from the paint by numbers Roman matches that we've been getting for a few years now.
Plus I suspect those guys will do double duty in the rumble.
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Post by Friday Night SmackOwn on Jan 19, 2024 14:33:42 GMT -5
I'm enjoying the build so far, but it seems like most of the major players are on Raw in the Rumble this year. Yeah all the top contenders are Raw guys in Cody/Punk/Gunther/Drew. Jey and Sami haven't been announced yet but will likely be in too. Even Brock if he returns has mostly been on Raw his last few feuds. It's why I'm kinda shocked they did the 4 way with Roman, taking up 3 of Smackdown's top faces. I figured it would have been a singles match and save the other two guys for the Rumble. Roman/Orton/Knight/Styles for the title. KO/Paul for the US title. The injury status of Rey/Sheamus is unknown. Solo/Jimmy may be involved in Roman's match and not even in the Rumble. Lashley is the only top guy on Smackdown we know for sure will be in the Rumble match. Cody could technically count as a Smackdown competitor since in all likelihood, he’s going there to finish the story with Roman or what-have-you if he wins. |
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